Floor-machine.



No. 737,691. PATBNTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

D. 'ADAMS.

FLOOR MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED PR. 3, 1903. N0 110mm. z sunnrs-smmr 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

D. ADAMS. FLOOR MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1903.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

NO MODEL.

wi/immeo Mow YNE uonms PUERS 0a., wo'rquma, wAsHmnroM u c UNITED STATES Patented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID ADAMS, OF WILSON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OE" ONE-HALF TO GEORGE W. LA POINT, OF WILSON, WISCONSIN.

FLOOR-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,691, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed April 3.1903- SerialNo.150,892. (No model.)

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVilson, in the county of St. Oroix, State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for layingtongue-and-groove flooring; and it has for its object to provide a machine or tool which may be operated with a minimum expendr ture of energy to force the successive boards with their tongues and grooves into intimate engagement and to hold them in such positions until they have been securely nailed in place, a further object of the invention being to provide means for preventing the tool from slipping and to provide a construction in which the members may be quickly released from their active positions to permit of laying of the next board.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tool embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the tool and including one of the retaining pawls, the other pawl being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tool. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the tool.

Referring now to the drawings, the present tool comprises a body portion 5, having the raised sides 6 and 7, between which is slidably mounted the adjustable presser-bar 8, hav ing at one end the transverse head 9, which lies beyond the end. of the body portion and transversely thereof, the breadth of the head being greater than that of the body portion, so that it may have an extended bearing-surface against the floor-board to be operated upon. In the front edge of the head 9 is a groove 10, which is designed to receive the tongue of the floor-board, so that when said board is subjected to pressure the tongue will not be injured. At the ends of the body 5 are the walls 11 and 12, through which are formed openings through which the presser bar slides, and encircling the rear end of the presser-bar and resting with one end against the end wall of the body and the other end against the stop-nut on the end of the bar is a helical spring 13, which holds the bar normally and yieldably in retracted position with its cross-head against the opposite end of the body. At the sides of the body 5, and adjacent to the ends thereof,are lateral wings 14, from which project downwardly and rearwardly the spikes or teeth 15, alined transversely of the body in-pairs, these spikes or teeth being designed to engage the joists and prevent the machine from slipping transversely thereof in the operation of the presser-bar.

From the sides of the body rise the forward pair of ears 16, between which are pivoted the forward ends of links 17, which extend 1ongitudinally of the body in a direction away from the cross-head, and between the free ends of these links is fulcrumed ahand-lever 18, the lower end of which is designed to engage the rack 19, formed upon the upper face of the presser-bar, so that the lever may be raised and swung with its lower engaging end rearwardly over the rack-face and then lowered into engagement with the rack and swung in an opposite direction to urge the presserbar with its cross-head against the action of the helical spring. By inclining the rack teeth rearwardly, as illustrated, the lever may be shifted in the corresponding direction over said teeth without first raising the lever, the link connection of the lever permitting the latter to rise and fall in its movement. From the sides of the body rise also the rear pair of cars 20, connected by the pin 21, on which are pivoted the two retaining-pawls 22 and 23, which are designed to rest with their forward ends upon the rack, these pawls being of different lengths from the pin to their en gaging ends, so that when one pawl is in engagement with the vertical face of a tooth of the rack the other pawl will rest with its engaged end midway between the vertical faces of two adjacent teeth, so that the presser-bar may be adjusted and held the movement of half the length of the inclined face of a tooth orhalf the distance between the vertical faces of two adjacent teeth. The free ends of the pawls project rearwardly from the ears, so that the foot of the operator may be applied thereto to shift the pawls to disengaging positions and release the presser-bar, so that its helical spring will return it to its normal or inactive position.

With this construction it will be seen that the tool may be quickly and easily adjusted to position. The floor-board may be forced into place by simple oscillation of a hand-lever and that after the board is secured by nailing the presser-bar may be instantly shifted to permit of placing of the next board.

In practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made, and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is- 1. A floor-machine comprising a body portion, a presser-bar slidably mounted in the body portion and projecting, beyond the ends thereof, a cross-head at one end of the presserbar, a stop at the opposite end of the presserbar, a helical. spring encircling said opposite end of the presserbar and resting with its ends respectively against the stop and the end of the body, and means for feeding the presser-bar against the action of said spring.

2. A floor-machine comprising a body portion, a presser-bar slidably mounted in the body portion and projecting beyond the ends thereof, a cross-head at one end of the presserbar, a stop at the opposite end of the presserbar, a helical spring encircling said. opposite end of the presser-bar and resting with its ends respectively against the stop and the end of the body, said presser-bar having a rack-face, links pivoted to the body, a lever pivoted to the links and resting with its lower end upon the rack, and retaining pawls mounted pivotally in the body and resting upon the rack-face, said pawls being of different lengths to interchangeably engage the rack-face.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID ADAMs.

l/Vitnessesi G. W. LA PoINTE, Jr., W. W. LA POINTE. 

